


Eternal Slumber

by GeniusCactus



Category: Tennis no Oujisama | Prince of Tennis
Genre: Crack, Fuji Yoshiko, Gen, Sleeping Beauty AU, kind of, the captains - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-01
Updated: 2017-03-01
Packaged: 2018-09-27 17:07:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10035530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GeniusCactus/pseuds/GeniusCactus
Summary: After failing to receive an invitation to the prince's birthday party, a certain fairy manager casts a terrible curse, endangering the future of Tenipuri Kingdom





	

**Author's Note:**

> Since we don't get too many hints from Konomi on what Fuji's mom's personality might be like, I probably wrote her out of character. If anyone knows what she's actually like, please tell me :)

In a distant faraway land known as Tenipuri, lies a colony of fairies, each one standing no higher than a tennis ball. The fairy’s leader, Queen Yoshiko, reigns over her kingdom with an air of grace, maintaining peace and stability throughout the entire land.

On the 29th of February Tenipuri’s eventual heir, Prince Fuji Syusuke, was born. In accordance with custom, Queen Yoshiko was supposed to host a small party where the fairy governors from Tenipuri’s 9 provinces were to give the prince a small blessing (really cool gift). But, Queen Yoshiko was exhausted and did not really want to invite any of them. She just wanted a long nap.  

Besides, all of the fairy governors were young men, and knew nothing of the trials and tribulations of raising a child. Their gifts would most likely be something annoyingly trivial. However, she knew how fickle a fairy’s temperament could be, and it _was_ custom. So, she sent her most trusted snail out to deliver the invitations for the prince’s birthday gathering.

The day of the prince’s party, the first to arrive was Fairy Governor Tezuka of Seigaku, Tenipuri’s capital. Fairy Governor Tezuka, albeit somewhat stern and aloof, is well liked by his constituents and arguably the most respected governor in all of Tenipuri. Queen Yoshiko hummed in approval as Tezuka approached Fuji’s bassinet. An admirable fairy like Tezuka would surely give something practical, not any useless crap.

“Don’t be careless,” he whispered, tapping his wand to the baby’s forehead. Fuji giggled in response, sparkling with Tezuka’s magical blue light. Now Fuji would never let his guard down!

Tezuka looked quite pleased with himself at this prospect. Well, as pleased as Queen Yoshiko had ever seen him, which was this sort of unnatural looking half-smiling face.

“ _That’s_ your gift?” Fairy Governor Atobe scoffed, fluttering in through the window. “Honestly Tezuka…”

At Atobe’s arrival, Tezuka’s face turned back towards a scowl. In Tezuka’s eyes, the ability to never let one’s guard down was the best possible gift ever. What type of gift did Hyotei’s governor have up his sleeve that he thought was _so much_ _better_ than his? The Seigaku governor watched with mild amusement as Atobe moved towards Tenipuri’s royal family, and pulled what looked to be a small piece of cloth out of his pocket.

“I’m bestowing upon this child the gift of good fashion,” Fairy Governor Atobe stated grandly, handing Queen Yoshiko a tiny leopard print sweater.

“Ah.” Tezuka coughed, trying to quell the laughter bubbling in his chest. It would ruin his stern, stoic reputation to present that type of behavior here.

“Thank you?” Queen Yoshiko fake-smiled, accepting the sweater. Rubbing the fabric between her fingers, she noticed it wasn’t just any old leopard print sweater, it was Hyotei’s finest leopard print cashmere, their biggest export. An _exquisite_ gift, but Fuji didn’t even know how to dress himself yet, much less understand the difference between fine cashmere and cheap polyester.   _Perhaps it would have been better to gift the prince’s mother a little something,_ Queen Yoshiko mused, tossing the leopard print cashmere sweater on her fancy throne chair.

Fairy Governor Atobe, however, found the queen’s action to be quite the insult to the hard working people of Hyotei province. “Have our kingdom’s prince change into my sweater straight away!” He demanded, snap snapping his fingers as if he were the king. “I won’t have him dressed in rags any longer--”

Fairy Governor Atobe’s outburst was interrupted as two fairies with a long flowing manes flew in through the door crack. One was a fairy with golden hair, Fudomine’s fairy governor, Tachibana. The other was his fairy advisor, Chitose, a tall lanky fairy, maybe 2 tennis balls in height. Fudomine’s fairy governor, and his advisor were practically attached at the hip. Inseparable. But in Queen Yoshiko’s opinion, Chitose was a terrible advisor. He was consistently late to meetings, often not even showing up at all. And, when he did actually show up he gave the most obscure advice.

Still, Tachibana adored him, calling Chitose his ‘prized advisor.’

“We’re giving the prince the power of good hair,” Fudomine’s governor drew his magic wand, and Queen Yoshiko knew immediately it must have been his advisor’s idea.

“It’s too similar to my gift,” Atobe bossily waved him away. But it was a moment too late! At the swish of Tachibana’s wand, baby Fuji’s bald head started to grow long lustrous locks down to his shoulders.

Queen Yoshiko sighed. She would be the one to brush the knots out of that hair until Fuji could take proper care of it.

“Who’s next?” Queen Yoshiko was internally regretting the decision to invite ALL of the land’s fairy governors.

“I’ll go.” A voice spoke, but Queen Yoshiko couldn’t place a name to it.

She looked to her right, left, up, and down, before finally spotting Yamabuki’s fairy governor standing straight ahead. How long had he been standing there? And, err...what was his name again?

“Fairy Governor...um...Jimmy?” Queen Yoshiko scrunched her face up, trying to recall the Yamabuki Governor’s name.

“It’s Minami! Fairy Governor Minami,” Yamabuki’s fairy governor said it in a way that caused Queen Yoshiko to wonder if she’d forgotten his name before.

“I’m giving the prince the blessing of being well liked." 

As Governor Minami swished his wand right and left, everyone wordlessly turned to face him, silently vowing to try and remember his name a bit better. But, just as everyone was feeling bad about it, Rokkaku’s governor swam in through the drain pipe and they forgot about him again! Poor Jimmy...

Governor Aoi hails from Tenipuri’s seaside province, Rokkaku. He is not always the brightest, sometimes even a little reckless, and often worries more about showing off to pretty ladies than the needs of his constituents. BUT his pure heart is unmatched by any of the other fairy governors. Queen Yoshiko thinks he’s a fine fairy governor. Most of the time.

“I’m giving the prince the power to swim!” Aoi said, reaching for the wand in his back pocket.

“That’s more of a learned skill,” Tezuka commented.

“I mean, swim faster than the ocean’s quickest fish!” Aoi corrected himself.

“Once he learns to fly, what’ll be the point?” Asked Atobe, exasperated.

“Then, how about, the power to…” Aoi thought a moment. It had taken him all afternoon to come up with his gift. Just because Atobe was too fancy of a fairy to swim, didn’t mean all fairies were like that! Now he had to think of an even better gift…

Aoi looked out the window at Tenipuri’s scorching hot sun. It hadn’t rained in months. Without rain there wouldn’t be water. Without water his advisors wouldn’t be able to properly maintain his sandcastle headquarters and, more importantly, he wouldn’t be able to impress the ladies with his awesome swimming talents.

That’s when Aoi had a brilliant idea!

“Imma give him the power to make it rain!”

“Too far…”

“Ridiculous!”

“Careless.”

But, with a simple flick of the wand the damage was done. Prince Fuji gained the power to control the weather.  

“Perfect.” Queen Yoshiko grimaced. “Just perfect.”

Just as she was mentally debating how to teach her infant son how to properly control his newfound powers, Fairy Governor Kite sprung up from under one of the floorboards.

“I grew him this goya,” Governor Kite grinned smugly. “I want him to grow up with a good sense of taste.”

“Oh, wonderful. I’m sure he will _love_ it,” Queen Yoshiko rolled her eyes. Although she’d meant it as a sarcastic comment, Prince Fuji actually did grow up to enjoy all types of oddly flavored foods. She couldn’t help but wonder if Governor Kite cast some type of jinx to ensure Prince Fuji would aptly appreciate Higa’s provincial symbol.

And just when Queen Yoshiko thought the gifts couldn’t get any worse, Fairy Governor Shiraishi waltzed in, dragging an enormous cactus behind him on a leash as if it were some type of wild animal. “It’s not poisonous,” Shiraishi reassured when he saw the horror-stricken look on Queen Yoshiko’s face. “Well...not _very_ poisonous,” he added in a barely audible whisper.

Queen Yoshiko shuddered, reluctantly accepting the ugly little plant. 

After it was well past time for all the governors to arrive, and Queen Yoshiko was sure no one else would come, a spry young fairy burst in through the window. At first Queen Yoshiko mistook him for a bee, since his body was yellow and he had a black stripe across his chest, but realized he was Rikkai’s new fairy apprentice, Kirihara. Fairies of Rikkai look a lot like bees, bad design choice. 

Rikkai’s governor has a weird power complex, insisting the people call him ‘God’ and his advisor ‘The Emperor.’ Rikkai’s governor is also fixated on ‘winning.’ Winning at what exactly, Queen Yoshiko isn’t really sure since all of Tenipuri’s provinces are supposed to work in harmony for the good of the entire kingdom.

“Fairy God Yukimura is feeling under the weather today,” Kirihara explained, holding up a crumpled piece of paper, “Fairy Emperor Sanada asked me to deliver this calligraphy, sorry it got sorta wrinkled.”

‘Sorta wrinkled’ was an understatement if Queen Yoshiko had ever heard one. The ink was smeared, bits of the page torn as if Kirihara had dragged it through a torrential rainstorm. Still, the kindly Queen accepted the illegible piece of garbage, deciding to spare the boy’s fate by not telling the Governor of Rikkai about the mishap.

By this point Queen Yoshiko was _positive_ everyone had delivered their gifts. Yes! Now she could finally kick all these annoying governors out of her house and take a little nap.  Err.. that is.. Politely ask them to leave, set the prince down for a nap, and watch over him carefully like the good mother she is. Yeah...

Just as Queen Yoshiko was rising from her throne chair to announce the party was over, a flurry of rose petals swirled into the room. Everyone swiveled around to face that attention smuggling Governor Atobe. Trying to show off? Get one final act in before the conclusion of the Prince’s party? But, for once, Atobe seemed as confused as the rest of them. Besides, these were not the fine scarlet rose petals of the Hyotei gardens. These petals were more of a diminished hue, knock off roses likely grown by some fancy man wanna be.

As the wind died down, the petals gracefully scattered to the floor, settling in a heap like autumn leaves. Everyone kind of stared at the untidy mess, secretly hoping someone else would take the initiative in cleaning up, or that the petals would magically disappear. Fairy Governor Jimmy snickered at the situation, feeling at times being overlooked has its charms. The other fairy governors were plotting their individual escape plans when the mound of petals started rustling.

A certain pesky fairy manager burst out, revealing himself as none other than...

“Fairy Manager Mizuki!?” exclaimed everyone.

“How dare you neglect to invite me to your little get-together!!!” cried the Rudolphian Fairy Manager.

Queen Yoshiko attempted to explain what she believed to be a simple misunderstanding. “Fairy Manager Mizuki, I was wondering where you--”

But, Manager Mizuki cut the queen off, “Oh, what a grave mistake you have made! Forgetting my invitation!”

“I didn’t forge--”

“Now your precious child will suffer a terrible curse! Nufufufu!” Manager Mizuki cackled as he drew his purple sparkly wand, “On the Prince’s 16th birthday, he will prick his finger on--” Manager Mizuki’s eyes connected with the cactus Governor Shiraishi brought in earlier, “--on that frightfully spiny plant and fall into an _Eternal Slumber_!”

Everyone except the queen herself gasped.

And Governor Tezuka. Governor Tezuka did not gasp. He just stood there. Oh, and neither did Governor Jimmy, because Governor Jimmy was secretly delighted with the idea that someone else’s invitation had been forgotten.

The kingdom grounds rumbled as everyone trembled with fear, because being sentenced to an eternal slumber is quite possibly the worst punishment known to fairytale kind.

*

*

_16 years later..._

Fairy Manager Mizuki fluttered around nervously. He had been so incensed when he thought Queen Yoshiko left him out, he’d unthinkingly cast a wicked spell on the prince. It was only after returning home that evening that he’d found the invitation stuck under a pile of junk mail. Too prideful, he’d never bothered to apologize and repent for what he’d done.

But, now, that fated 16th birthday was creeping around the corner. Queen Yoshiko even sent him an invitation to the prince’s party. Mizuki wasn’t sure if it was out of politeness or because she hated his guts.

After dawdling til the last second, Fairy Manager Mizuki made the decision to go to the prince’s party. It would be cowardly not to.

As Manager Mizuki approached Tenipuri castle he spotted Fairy Prince Fuji playing quite recklessly with his cactus. The same one Shiraishi had given him 16 years earlier. Fuji carelessly weaved in and out of the cactus stems, wings avoiding the pointy spines by a narrow margin.

_Curses._

Mizuki made a beeline for the prince, trying to stop him before--

“Oops,” Fuji smiled, “I _accidentally_ pricked myself.”

Mizuki watched in horror as the blood oozed out of Fuji’s finger, wondering how the fairy boy was still awake. Maybe the spell had a delayed reaction? It _had_ been his first time casting it.

“I am feeling a bit sleepy,” Fuji yawned, head drooping dangerously towards the floor. “I’m going to rest my eyes for a bit.”

“NO!” Fairy Manager Mizuki lunged forward, firmly gripping the prince's shoulders in attempts to shake him awake.

“Prince Fuji, enough.” Tezuka flew out of the shadows. “You’re scaring him.”

To Mizuki’s surprise, Fuji sprung up at Tezuka’s words as if nothing had happened.

“How are you still--" 

“Leap day. I’m turning 16, but it isn’t my 16th birthday,” Fuji flashed a challenging grin. “You’ll have to do better than that, Fairy Manager Mizuki!”

“I hope you’ve learned your lesson,” Tezuka crossed his arms. “Magic isn’t a toy!”

“How unsightly!” Atobe groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Don’t be so reckless with your powers,” cautioned Tachibana. Rather hypocritical considering he was the one who damaged his advisor’s eye with an Abare Dama spell gone wrong. But Mizuki wasn’t saying anything...

“Right, if Prince Fuji was born just one day earlier, he could have fallen into an _Eternal Slumber_!” Aoi said.

Even Governor Jimmy was nodding from his perch on the ceiling trim, and Mizuki realized all of the land’s fairy governors had watched the foolish charade. Of course he was relieved Fuji hadn’t fallen into an eternal slumber, but he didn’t appreciate being mocked by others!

“But there’s still the problem of the Prince’s actual 16th birthday,” Yukimura spoke up. “Which will be when he turns 64,” he felt the need to add, unsure of how the education systems of the other provinces compare with Rikkai excellence.

“This is what you were planning all along, isn’t it?” Governor Kite glared, and the rest of the kingdom’s governors whipped their heads around in unison to glare intensely at Mizuki too. Ah, hum. Someone like Governor Kite accusing him of being devious? That was rather... But Mizuki held his tongue.

Unsanitary sweat droplets dripped from the Manager’s brow as the land’s governors stared deep into his soul. He wicked the moisture away with his periwinkle purple hankie, hesitant to defend his own innocence. To be guilty was to be seen as conniving and brilliant! But to be innocent was to be seen as a bumbling fool. And, he simply couldn’t have that.

“Relax,” Shiraishi’s voice broke the tense silence. “Tezuka’s _‘don’t be careless’_ charm will probably protect the prince from any real harm.”

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, looking to Manager Mizuki for some type of response.

“Oh. Oh darn.” Mizuki said unconvincingly. “Foiled my plans.”

Meanwhile Tezuka was practically glowing with the idea that his gift bested them all.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading <3


End file.
